Georgia About

The Dariali Gorge (Georgian: დარიალის ხეობა) is a river gorge at the east base of Mount Kazbegi on the border between Russia and Georgia.  The local people call themselves the Mokheve (habitants of the gorge).

The gorge has become known as one of the most romantic places in the Caucasus and has been immortalized in Russian poetry, notably by Lermontov in The Demon.

The Georgian Military Road (საქართველოს სამხედრო გზა) runs through the gorge. The 208 kilometer road from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Vladikavkaz (Russia) follows the traditional route used by invaders and traders throughout the ages.

The Dariali Pass was historically important as the one of only two crossings of the Greater Caucasus mountain range, the other being the Derbent Pass, and has been long fortified — at least since 150 BC. Ruins of an ancient fortress can still be seen.

In 2005, construction work began on a new monastery complex in the Dariali Gorge and in September 2011 the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II conducted the solemn liturgy in the newly opened monastery complex that is named after the Archangels Michael and Gabriel.

Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II and the President of Georgia at the newly opened Monastery.

During the service, the Patriarch drew attention to the location of the church (close to the Georgian-Russian border) and expressed hope that with the mercy of this church, the two countries will re-establish relations and peace will take place.

“I think this church will provide a miracle – our countries will have peaceful relations again,” said the Patriarch.

In recent years the Georgia-Russia border crossing at the gorge has been periodically closed but at the time of writing is open.

How to get there? Traveling by car or mini bus on the Georgian Military Highway from the Didube bus station in Tbilisi to Stepantsminda (nearest town) will take 2 -3 hours.

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